Oxford Humanities and Social Sciences 7–10

Australian Curriculum

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The Australian Curriculum is changing and Oxford is here to support you.

Oxford Humanities and Social Sciences 7–10 is a new teaching and learning resource written for the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0).

As well as offering complete coverage of Geography, History, Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship, this new edition features an innovative reporting system that makes it easy for you to deliver differentiated, personalised learning experiences, build students’ confidence, and save time planning lessons.
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In May 2022, an updated version of Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences for Years 7–10 (known as Version 9.0) was released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

From Term 1 2023, schools around Australia will begin to implement the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0), most according to their own state and territory timelines.

Schools in some states and territories will be required to adopt the new curriculum in its entirety, while curriculum bodies in other states and territories will adapt the new curriculum and integrate it into their existing state curricula.

We're here to support you. Register your interest to stay up to date with implementation news in your state or territory and to receive invitations to professional development events and access to sample pages of Oxford’s Australian Curriculum resources.

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Implementing the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (9.0): Challenges and opportunities webinar

Hear from expert teachers and presenters, Majella Wessel, and Kay Bishop, as they outline the key features of the new Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences 7–10 (Version 9.0) and share a range of practical strategies and resources designed to help set your students up for success in secondary HASS!

Why is the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences changing?

The Australian Curriculum is reviewed by ACARA every 6 years and the 2020–2021 review resulted in the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0.

The review was conducted to ensure the curriculum was up to date, had a strong evidence base, and matched the high standards expected in other high-performing countries.

According to ACARA, ‘Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0 is a more stripped-back and teachable curriculum that identifies the essential content our children should learn’.

In Humanities and Social Sciences, there is a greater emphasis on First Nations Peoples across all subjects, a reduction in the amount of History content to be studied and a strong emphasis on the teaching of skills alongside content.

The new Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences has been designed around the assumption that all students will study these four subjects at the following year levels:


However, state and territory approaches differ, so check with the curriculum or education authority before finalising your teaching programs.

For more detailed information on the changes to Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0), visit the Australian Curriculum website (australiancurriculum.edu.au).

How is the structure of the new Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) changing?

The basic structure of the curriculum remains unchanged, but there have been changes to the achievement standards and many content descriptions

The structure of Version 9.0 is still three dimensional – meaning it includes Learning areas, General capabilities and Cross-curriculum priorities as shown in the table below:

Learning areas

The essential knowledge, understandings and skills that students should learn in 8 learning areas.

  • English
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Technologies
  • The Arts

General capabilities

The knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions required to live and work successfully.

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Digital Literacy
  • Ethical understanding
  • Intercultural understanding
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Personal and social capability

Cross-curriculum priorities

Priorities that reflect national, regional and global contexts.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
  • Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
  • Sustainability



Overall, there is a much greater emphasis on the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Significant changes have been made to the structure of the History syllabus.

Overviews have been removed and a ‘minimum’ of two sub-strands must now be taught instead of three depth studies.

New sub-strands and topics have also been added and others removed. For example, in History:
– New sub-strands have been added to Years 7 and 8
– A new sub-strand in Year 10 combines content descriptions from ‘Rights and freedoms’ and ‘Migration experiences’, which are no longer separate depth studies in the curriculum.

The study of Australian history is now mandatory at Years 9 and 10

Although there are four sub-strands to choose from in Year 9 and three in Year 10, the new Australian Curriculum mandates the following two sub-strands each year, so it’s less likely that teaching time will be available to cover optional sub-strands.

The study of Economics & Business and Civics & Citizenship is now mandatory at Years 7 and 8

To date, many states and territories have not prioritised the formal teaching of Economics & Business and Civics & Citizenship at Years 7–10. Moving forward, all schools implementing the new Australian Curriculum will be expected to cover the content descriptions for these subjects at Years 7 and 8, alongside Geography and History.

How is the content of the new Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) changing?

The tables on the following pages provide a brief overview of the most significant content changes in Australian Curriculum Geography, History, Economics & Business and Civics & Citizenship (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10.

Only content that has been added, significantly modified or removed is listed here. Many other content descriptions have been refined or combined.

More detail on all content and assessment changes – together with scope and sequence charts, teaching programs, lesson plans, and assessment support – is available for schools implementing the Australian Curriculum with Oxford resources.

Geography

What’s been added or modified?

  • No significant content added

What’s been removed?

  • No significant content removed

What’s been added or modified?

  • No significant content added

What’s been removed?

  • No significant content removed

What’s been added or modified?

  • No significant content added

What’s been removed?

  • The perceptions people have of place, and how these influence their connections to different places ACHGK065 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • No significant content added

What’s been removed?

  • No significant content removed
  • Increase in number of content descriptions and elaborations focused on First Nations Peoples
  • Many content descriptions in the Skills sub-strand have been combined and/or refined across Years 7–10                                                                  

History

What’s been added or modified?

  • Students must study Sub-strand: Deep time history of Australia AC9HH7K02–AC9HH7K06 NEW
  • Students must study one topic from Sub-strand: The Ancient World
    - Topics include: Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, ChinaMODIFIED

What’s been removed?

  • Overview REMOVED
  • Depth study: Investigating the ancient past REMOVED
  • Depth study: The Mediterranean World and Depth study: The Asian World have been combined into Sub-strand: The Ancient World MODIFIED

What’s been added or modified?

  • Students must study one topic from Sub-strand: Medieval Europe and the early modern world
    - Topics include: Medieval Europe; The Renaissance; The emergence of the modern world NEW
  • Students must study one topic from either of these two sub-strands:
    Sub-strand: Empires and expansions
    - Topics include: Mongol Empire, Ottoman Empire, Vikings, The Spanish conquest of the Americas MODIFIED
    Sub-strand: The Asia-Pacific world
    - Topics include: Angkor/Khmer Empire; Japan under the shoguns; Polynesian expansion across the Pacific MODIFIED

What’s been removed?

  • Overview REMOVED
  • Depth study: The Black Death in Asia, Europe and Africa REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • Students must study Sub-strand: Making and transforming the Australian Nation (1750–1914) NEW
  • Students must study Sub-strand: World War I (1914–1918) NO CHANGE
  • Both Sub-strands: The Industrial Revolution and movement of peoples and Sub-strand: Asia and the World are now optional MODIFIED

What’s been removed?

  • Overview REMOVED
  • Depth study: Progressive ideas and movements (1750–1918) REMOVED
  • Depth study: Movement of peoples (1750–1918) REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • Students must study Sub-strand: World War II NO CHANGE
  • Students must study Sub-strand: Building modern Australia NEW
  • Sub-strand: The globalising world now optional MODIFIED

What’s been removed?

  • Overview REMOVED
  • Depth study: Rights and freedoms REMOVED
  • Depth study: Pop culture REMOVED
  • Depth study: Migration experiences REMOVED
  • Depth study: The environment movement REMOVED
  • Two sub-strands in each of Years 9 and 10 are compulsory
  • Increase in number of content descriptions and elaborations focused on First Nations Peoples
  • ‘Empathy’ concept has been deleted
  • Many content descriptions in the Skills sub-strand have been combined and/or refined across Years 7–10                                                                  

Economics and Business

What’s been added or modified?

  • Why opportunity cost exists as decisions are made to allocate limited resources to meet unlimited needs and wants AC9HE7K01 MOVED FROM YEAR 6
  • The rights and responsibilities of individuals and businesses in relation to consumer and financial products and services AC9HE7K05 MOVED FROM YEAR 8

What’s been removed?

  • Apply economics and business knowledge, skills and concepts in familiar and new situations ACHES025 & ACHES036 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • How markets influence decisions about the allocation of resources to the production of goods and services, and the effect of prices on these decisions AC9HE8K01 MOVED FROM YEAR 7
  • The importance of Australia’s system of taxation and how this system affects decision-making by individuals and businesses AC9HE8K04 NEW
  • Processes individuals and/or businesses use to plan and budget to achieve short-term and long-term financial objectives AC9HE8K05 MOVED FROM YEAR 7

What’s been removed?

  • No significant content removed

What’s been added or modified?

  • The role of Australia’s financial sector and its effect on economic decision-making by individuals, businesses and global markets AC9HE9K01 NEW

What’s been removed?

  • The changing roles and responsibilities of participants in the Australian or global workplace ACHEK042 REMOVED
  • Apply economics and business knowledge, skills and concepts in familiar, new and hypothetical situations ACHES047 & ACHES059 REMOVED
  • Reflect on the intended and unintended consequences of economic and business decisions ACHES049 & ACHES061 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • The importance of Australia’s superannuation system and how this system affects consumer and financial decision-making AC9HE10K04 NEW
  • Students must study Sub-strand: Building modern AustraliaNEW
  • Sub-strand: The globalising world now optionalMODIFIED

What’s been removed?

  • Apply economics and business knowledge, skills and concepts in familiar, new and hypothetical situations ACHES047 & ACHES059 REMOVED
  • Intended and unintended consequences of economic and business decisions ACHES049 & ACHES061 REMOVED
  • Significant increase in number of content descriptions and elaborations focused on First Nations Peoples
  • Many skills have been combined and/or refined across Years 7–10 and some have been deleted                                                                                   

Civics and citizenship

What’s been added or modified?

  • The characteristics of Australia’s democracy, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement AC9HC7K02 MOVED FROM YEAR 8

What’s been removed?

  • The key features of government under the Australian Constitution with a focus on the separation of powers, the roles of the Executive, the Houses of Parliament, and the division of powers ACHCK048 MOVED TO YEAR 9
  • The process for constitutional change through a referendum ACHCK049 MOVED TO YEAR 9
  • How groups, such as religious and cultural groups, express their particular identities; and how this influences their perceptions of others and vice versa ACHCK053 REMOVED
  • Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action ACHCS058 & ACHCS072 REMOVED
  • Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australia’s democracy ACHCS060 & ACHCS074 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • The role of political parties and independent representatives in Australian democracy, including elections and the formation of governmentsMOVED FROM YEAR 9

What’s been removed?

  • Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action ACHCS058 & ACHCS072 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • The role of the Australian Constitution in providing the basis for Australia’s federal system of government and democratic processes, including institutions, and the process for constitutional change through a referendum AC9HC9K01 MOVED FROM YEAR 7

What’s been removed?

  • How citizens’ political choices are shaped at election time, including the influence of the media ACHCK076 REMOVED
  • How ideas about and experiences of Australian identity are influenced by global connectedness and mobility ACHCK081 REMOVED
  • Recognise and consider multiple perspectives and ambiguities, and use strategies to negotiate and resolve contentious issues ACHCS086 & ACHCS099 REMOVED
  • Use democratic processes to reach consensus on a course of action relating to a civics or citizenship issue and plan for that action ACHCS087 & ACHCS100 REMOVED
  • Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts & ACHCS089 ACHCS102 REMOVED

What’s been added or modified?

  • No significant content added

What’s been removed?

  • Recognise and consider multiple perspectives and ambiguities, and use strategies to negotiate and resolve contentious issues ACHCS086 & ACHCS099 REMOVED
  • Reflect on their role as a citizen in Australian, regional and global contexts ACHCS089 & ACHCS102 REMOVED
  • Significant increase in number of content descriptions and elaborations focused on First Nations Peoples
  • Many skills have been combined and/or refined across Years 7–10 and some have been deleted                                                                                                    

When will Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) be implemented in my state or territory?

Education authorities in different states and territories around Australia will determine the timeline for the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0).

Information specific to each state and territory can be found in the table. All information provided was correct at the time of printing. Please confirm your approach with the education authority in your state or territory prior to implementation.

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in the ACT are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2024.
For more information visit: ACT Education Directorate

• NESA is currently undertaking a review of existing curriculum in NSW. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• All government, independent and Catholic schools in NSW will be required to implement the new NSW Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2025.
• More formal implementation timelines and additional details will be made available by NESA from the start of 2023.
For more information visit: NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

To find current Oxford humanities resources for NSW, click here.

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in NT schools are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10. Implementation date to be confirmed.
For more information visit: Northern Territory Board of Studies (NTBOS)

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in Queensland are free to determine their own plan for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 (with a few conditions). Schools can begin teaching the new curriculum at any year level from Term 1, 2023 onwards, but must have completed full implementation by the end of the 2025 school year. That is, from Term 1, 2026 all schools must be teaching Version 9.0 across Years 7–10.
For more information visit: Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA)

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in Tasmania are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10.Implementation dates are yet to be confirmed.
For more information visit: Department of Education Tasmania

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in SA will be required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10. Implementation dates are yet to be confirmed.
For more information visit: South Australia Department for education and learning

• VCAA is currently undertaking a review of Victorian Curriculum. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• Government and Catholic schools are required to continue teaching the Victorian Curriculum at Years 7–10 until further notice.
• Non-government schools may choose to adopt or adapt elements of the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2023 onwards.
For more information visit: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)

To find current Oxford humanities resources for Victoria, click here.

• SCSA is currently undertaking a review of Western Australian Curriculum. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• All government, independent and Catholic schools are required to teach the current Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline at Years 7–10 until advised otherwise.
For more information visit: School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA)

To find current Oxford humanities and social sciences resources for Western Australia, click here.

Is your school implementing the new Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences (Version 9.0)?

Contact your local education consultant for further information.

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